Plate XLIX,
LEUCOPTERNIS PALLIATA
Plate XLIX.
LEUCOPTERNIS PALLIATA.
(GREY-BACKED BUZZMD).
Leucopternis palliata
Leucopternis polionota
Pelz. Sitz. Ak. "Wien. sliv. p. 1 1 : V e rh . Zool. Bot. Ges. W ie
pp . 1 4 1 ,1 8 4 ; e t O rn . Bra s. p. 3.
Gray , L is t o f Acc ip itre s, 1844, p . 17.
K au p , Is is . 1847, p. 212.
Strickl. O rn . Syn. p. 37.
Bp. Consp. i. p . 19.
A lb a ; alis, inte rscap ulio e t dorso in feriore cum dìmidio caudæ basali obscure schistaceis ; p rima riis qu in q u é in te rn is
e t secundariis omnibus albo te rm in a tis : d orsi plum is p a rtiin albo ex tù s m a rg in atis e t in te rn ò albo fasciatis : remigibus
e t ree tricib u s in caudæ p a rte basali p a llidè g riseis, schistaceo tran s fa cia tia : ro s tro uig ro , cera pallide flava ; p edibus
flavis, un g u ib u s n ig r is ; long, to ta 2 1 '0 , alæ 16‘5, caudæ S O, r o s tr i à ric tu 1. d. l'S , ta rs i 3 0. Mas. femiuæ similis,
sed minor.
Hab. in Bra silià meridionali orien t. (Natt.).
No description ever having been published o f JIi'. G. E. Gray’s “ Buteo polionohisf
althougli the name has been quoted by several authors, we have felt ourselves bound to adopt
Herr v. Pelzcln’s designation ^'■palliata” for the present bird, accompanied, as it is, by an
excellent diagnosis and full particulars respecting the distinctive characters o f the species.
We have less hesitation in adopting this com-se as, i f manuscript names are to be considered at
all, Natterer’s t&raipalUatu.s (which v. Pelzeln employed) has in all probability liigher claims
to antiquity than any that our ft'iend Mr. Gray could ui'ge in favour o f his appellation.
Natterer’s unique specimen o f this well marked species (an old female) was obtained at
Ypanema, in the eastern portion o f the Bi-azilian province o f S. Paulo, in July, 1822. In his
MS. notes, subsequently published by von Pelzeln, he describes the iris as not very dark brown,
and the cere as pale yellow, the feet as yellow passing into orange, and the claws black.
Natterer adds that he observed other specimens o f this species in the mountains near Rio Janeiro.
As in the case o f othei- species o f Leucopternis all examples o f the present bird that we
have met with present a remarkable uniformity in their appearance. In very old bhds it is
possible that the white edgings to the feathers o f the back and wings, which are more apparent
in some specimens than in others, may wholly disappear ; but wc have no evidence to shew
that there exists in this genus any peculiar dress o f immaturity, such as is usually the case in
typical Buteo and its affines.